Sadly, Ruby Lane seems to have been plagued by the things Crackerjacks mentioned, all of which I totally agree with, because I have been having the same experiences.

One that bothers me is the 6% charge per item selling price. Supposedly this is to offset new costs created by the new sales tax structure including new staff. Ruby Lane is now an Avalara client and surely there is a big bill for that. Avalara does the sales tax software for I don’t know how many big businesses, world wide.

However, if they were concerned about funding new staff salaries and Avalara charges, I would think Ruby Lane should have implemented a PREDICTABLE flat fee per shop that would guarantee a known amount. Charging 6.7% on final sale price is wildly unpredictable, and would seem not the best way to fund known, predictable expenses?

Yes – Ruby Lane for me is now more expensive than eBay. Yes, I am looking at my own website instead. The ONLY way I can try to justify the increased costs is that some of the bookkeeping programs do secretarial type work that saves me real time not having to do it myself, but I cannot continue when my store costs me more than 20% per item to sell!!! and items are sitting with no sales coming in.

Not the kind of moral behavior you see from those sites that so frequently claim to help small business. Then again, what do you expect when they’re financed by WallStreet greed? Hence, the reason no such business offering such a service to small businesses in eCommerce should ever be governed by investors.

If they can’t put their money in and keep their mouths shut, then they need to just keep their money. If they want to have more of a say in the matter, then go through the legal system to ensure that what is decided does right by the people they’re serving. Don’t want that hassle? Then don’t invest.

It may be true that more people are shopping online but they are not coming to my Ruby Lane shop.. And I have friends that have been on Ruby Lane for quite a few years and they are not selling either. And our pricing is not even close to the $750 that Mr.Pekarek quotes. There was no uptick in sales that we are aware of – and I sell quality products with a perfect record. There are NO sales. Fees are very high on Ruby Lane unless you sell high dollars BUT now Ruby Lane has implemented a 6.7% sellers fee on each item the seller has to pay. They mention the $30 credit for maintenance – first of all it is my understanding they are going to file to get that back from the covid-19 stimulus. And it is I believe for 2 months. If they get it back from the govt – which I believe is wrong – what have they given us? Prior to the sellers fee they blindsided buyers and sellers with a 3% buyers fee – like an auction house would charge. It did not take long – the push back made them take that back. And put it on the backs of the sellers – which is what part of the 6.7% sellers fee is. And as the previous writer notes we simply cannot raise the prices to cover that cost. In my case it costs me 60 cents per item per month to relist which is over $100.00 a month. It is April 14th and I have sold nothing on Ruby Lane in April and 2 items in March but I have sold on another venue. As far as stocking up to sell I am not hearing that. I am hearing sellers trying to move their items so they can leave Ruby Lane. At this point in time it is more expensive to sell on Ruby Lane than Ebay. There is very little to no advertising for sellers.

I am sorry to say that I do not see things the way Mr.Pekarek does. And I know a number of sellers who do not see through the rose colored glasses that Mr Pekarek does.

Unfortunately this outbreak comes on the heels of Ruby Lane imposing a 6% charge on an items selling price, to help pay for staff and other things they needed after they had to start charging sales tax. I wonder if Mr. Pekarek’s observation that store owners are adding inventory is happening not because they are looking forward to expanding, but rather because they are trying to unload inventory and possibly close their shops looking for a cheaper place to sell. There is no way to increase the prices on existing listings to absorb such a costly increase on the shop – customers will notice and rebel.

At least RubyLane discontinued the BUYER fee they imposed on customers who (they said) would accept paying the additional charge, because it was like an auction buyer premium. That fee drove customers away, as has been reported in eCommercebytes posts.